THE Ministry of Communities has commenced an audit into the finances of the Linden Mayor and Town Council, mere hours after Town Clerk Jonella Bowen was sent on administrative leave. Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland, during a press conference on Friday said he had requested an audit of the council’s finances and the ministry promptly responded by sending auditors to Linden on Friday.
He said the call was also made for the audit after the town clerk on Thursday attempted to leave the council with pertinent financial documents, which — had they been destroyed — would have placed the council in a quandary.
“We have asked the Ministry of Communities to assist in sorting out the accounts in Linden and I would have further made a call for an audit, because it is the council’s view that things are not regular,” Holland said.
The mayor had previously expressed concern that the council had placed itself in $200M debt.
Holland said that Bowen remains the substantive town clerk until the conclusion of the hearing into her conduct, which will determine her permanent fate. Holland said that if the findings do not show reason for the town clerk to be relieved of her duties, he will be the first to champion her return. The mayor on Thursday however, issued a letter to the town clerk sending her on administrative leave. This move was made after Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan via a correspondence, gave permission to the mayor to perform such an act.
Minister Bulkan in the letter said that permission was granted on the basis of a recommendation sent by the council to send Bowen on administrative leave. The council had passed a no-confidence motion against Bowen in July which was the second motion passed against her during her tenure of four years.